What We Believe

Who we are & what we believe

Our church is affiliated with the American Baptist Churches of Connecticut and the American Baptist Churches USA (ABC-USA). As stated by the ABC-USA association of churches, “American Baptists are a Christ-centered, biblically grounded, ethnically diverse people called to radical personal discipleship in Christ Jesus. Our commitment to Jesus propels us to nurture authentic relationships with one another; build healthy churches; transform our communities, our nations, and our world; engage every member in hands-on ministry; and speak the prophetic word in love.”

A community of faith
“As a people of prayer, purpose, and passion, we are in the forefront of creating a community of faith where people of every race, nationality, and culture gather as one in worship, service, and work.”

God’s redemptive love
“The heart of the gospel is God’s redemptive love. In our life together, the world will see the power of forgiveness to overcome alienation, the strength of love to transform hate, the power of grace to break the bonds of guilt, the triumph of hope over despair, and the victory of faith over doubt.”

A vision for embracing the world
“Through the cross of Christ we embrace the world as neighbor. Our vision for mission energizes a multitude of servant ministries of evangelism, discipleship, leadership, new church development, social justice, healing, peacemaking, economic development, and education. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, we work together in mutual trust, humility, love, and giving, that the gospel might be preached and lived in all the world.”

 Foundational beliefs
“American Baptists believe that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior, and that the Bible is the divinely inspired word of God that serves as the final written authority for living out the Christian faith.”

Cornerstones of our faith
“We also celebrate the fact that belief in Jesus Christ assures salvation and eternal fellowship with a loving God. The events of the first Easter week are the cornerstones of our faith: the death of Christ, in which He took upon Himself the sin of the world, and the Resurrection, which gave proof of His triumph over sin and death. Holy Scripture always has been for American Baptists the authoritative and trustworthy guide for knowing and serving the God who is revealed as Creator, Savior and Advocate.”

Articles of Faith
First Baptist Church of Shelton, CT’s “Articles of Faith” (adopted in 1886) are based on The New Hampshire Confession of Faith.

See abcconn.org and www.abc-usa.org for more information.

 

What if I have other questions?

If you are interested in learning more about faith in Christ or about our church, or if you have questions about faith and life in general, you are always welcome to speak with Pastor Ken. Ken welcomes questions and loves conversation, and brings skills as a caring and sensitive listener to bear on any and all questions. Please feel free to contact him at 203-929-7704, or at pastor@fbcshelton.com. Ken may also invite you to attend one of our church Bible studies, Sunday School classes, or growth groups (small groups), where questions and comments are also welcome.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.